On Sunday, September 24, 2023, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission’s sample return capsule safely descended onto the Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range in the desert, following its collection from asteroid Bennu in October 2020. Photo Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber
The OSIRIS-REx mission of NASA has successfully retrieved a sample from asteroid Bennu and brought it back to Earth, marking a significant step toward groundbreaking research into planetary genesis and the origins of life.
Years of rigorous preparation by the OSIRIS-REx team culminated in the successful arrival of a capsule containing rocks and dust gathered from the asteroid Bennu. The capsule made its landing at 8:52 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time (10:52 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time) in a designated area of the Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range near Salt Lake City.
Victoria Thiem, Lockheed Martin System Safety Engineer, and Stuart Wylie, On Scene Commander of Recovery, were on hand to conduct initial assessments on the sample return capsule following its landing at the Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range. Photo Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber
Within a span of 90 minutes, the capsule was airlifted to a temporary cleanroom situated in a hangar at the training range, where it was connected to a steady nitrogen flow.
The team was highly focused on placing the sample in a “nitrogen purge,” as it is commonly referred to in scientific circles. Nitrogen is a chemically inert gas, and a consistent flow of it will ensure the exclusion of contaminants, maintaining the sample’s integrity for scientific scrutiny.
The samples retrieved from Bennu are anticipated to enhance the global scientific community’s understanding of planetary formation, the genesis of organic compounds and water that contributed to life on Earth, as well as provide insight into potentially hazardous celestial bodies.
NASA Astromaterials Curator Francis McCubbin, NASA Sample Return Capsule Science Lead Scott Sandford, and University of Arizona OSIRIS-REx Principal Investigator Dante Lauretta engaged in scientific data collection soon after the capsule’s landing. Photo Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson commended the OSIRIS-REx team for completing the United States’ first asteroid sample return mission. “The mission demonstrates what NASA is capable of accomplishing – inspiring and uniting humanity by pursuing grand and complex endeavors,” he stated.
The capsule, containing an estimated 250 grams or 8.8 ounces of Bennu samples, will be flown to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on September 25. Here, curation scientists will disassemble the capsule, catalog the collected material, and eventually distribute it to researchers around the globe for further study.
The successful completion of today’s asteroid sample delivery marks the culmination of years of meticulous planning and coordination by the mission team. Their efforts guided the spacecraft from its launch on September 8, 2016, to its arrival at Bennu on December 3, 2018, through the sample collection process and the journey back to Earth that commenced on May 10, 2021.
Radar, infrared, and optical tracking systems monitored the capsule’s descent to a landing zone within a 36-mile by 8.5-mile area on the military range. Minutes after landing, a recovery crew was dispatched to the capsule’s coordinates for inspection and retrieval. The capsule was confirmed to be in a stable condition at 9:07 a.m. MDT and deemed safe for approaching. It was then prepared for transportation to a specialized clean room, where it remains under constant surveillance and a nitrogen purge.
Rich Burns, project manager for OSIRIS-REx at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, characterized the mission’s success as akin to a decisive moment in a championship baseball game. “The team executed flawlessly under immense pressure,” he said.
NASA Goddard oversees the mission’s comprehensive management, systems engineering, and safety protocols, while the University of Arizona leads scientific observation planning and data processing. Lockheed Martin Space constructed the spacecraft and is responsible for flight operations. NASA Johnson will handle the sample curation. International partnerships include contributions from CSA (the Canadian Space Agency) and collaboration with JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Hayabusa2 mission in asteroid sample research. The OSIRIS-REx mission is the third initiative under NASA’s New Frontiers Program, overseen by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, on behalf of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Mission
What is the significance of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission?
The NASA OSIRIS-REx mission marks a landmark achievement in space exploration by safely returning a sample from asteroid Bennu to Earth. The sample is expected to provide critical scientific insights into planetary formation and the origins of life, as well as inform humanity about potentially hazardous asteroids.
When and where did the sample return capsule from the OSIRIS-REx mission land?
The sample return capsule landed at 8:52 a.m. MDT on Sunday, September 24, 2023, at the Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range near Salt Lake City.
What steps were taken immediately after the capsule’s landing?
Within 90 minutes of landing, the capsule was transported by helicopter to a temporary clean room set up on the training range. The capsule was then connected to a continuous flow of nitrogen to preserve the purity of the sample for scientific analyses.
What is the “nitrogen purge” and why is it essential?
The nitrogen purge involves flowing nitrogen gas continuously into the sample container inside the capsule. Nitrogen is a chemically inert gas that prevents earthly contaminants from interacting with the sample, thereby keeping it pure for scientific study.
Who are some key personnel involved in the OSIRIS-REx mission?
Key personnel include Lockheed Martin System Safety Engineer Victoria Thiem, On Scene Commander of Recovery Stuart Wylie, NASA Astromaterials Curator Francis McCubbin, NASA Sample Return Capsule Science Lead Scott Sandford, and University of Arizona OSIRIS-REx Principal Investigator Dante Lauretta.
What will happen to the returned samples from Bennu?
The sample, estimated at 8.8 ounces or 250 grams, will be transported to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. There, curation scientists will disassemble the canister, weigh the sample, catalog its constituents, and distribute pieces to scientists worldwide for study.
What are the broader implications of the sample return for science and humanity?
The sample from Bennu will facilitate global scientific research to understand planetary formation and the origins of organics and water that led to life on Earth. It will also help humanity understand potentially hazardous asteroids better.
How long was the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft’s journey to Bennu and back to Earth?
The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft launched on September 8, 2016, arrived at Bennu on December 3, 2018, and started its return journey on May 10, 2021. It released its sample capsule toward Earth’s atmosphere on the morning of September 24, 2023.
Who are the main organizations responsible for the OSIRIS-REx mission?
NASA Goddard provides overall mission management and systems engineering. The University of Arizona, Tucson leads the science team. Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado, built the spacecraft and handles flight operations. NASA’s Johnson Space Center will process the returned sample.
What international collaborations are involved in this mission?
International partnerships include the OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter instrument from CSA (the Canadian Space Agency) and asteroid sample science collaboration with JAXA’s (the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Hayabusa2 mission.
More about NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Mission
- NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Mission Overview
- Details about the Sample Return Capsule
- OSIRIS-REx Timeline
- Personnel Involved in OSIRIS-REx Mission
- NASA’s Johnson Space Center Curation of Asteroid Samples
- International Partnerships in OSIRIS-REx Mission
- Scientific Objectives of OSIRIS-REx
- NASA Goddard’s Role in OSIRIS-REx
- University of Arizona OSIRIS-REx Team
- Lockheed Martin’s Role in OSIRIS-REx
- Collaboration with JAXA’s Hayabusa2 Mission
